Wise Dan Fires Bullet Toward Woodford Defense
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Reigning two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who opened his 2014 campaign with a win in the April 11 Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland, worked a half-mile in a bullet :47 3/5 the morning of April 22 at the Lexington track.
Clockers caught Morton Fink's homebred 7-year-old Wiseman's Ferry gelding, ridden by regular partner Damien Rock, in fractions of :11 4/5, :23.4/5, and :47.3/5 with a gallop-out of 1:00 4/5 and 1:14 1/5.
"I just wanted to get a decent work in him," trainer Charlie LoPresti said. "I was a little bit worried that I was short the last time I ran him (in the Maker's 46 Mile) because of the winter (which affected Wise Dan's training schedule). Now it's exactly what I wanted. I just wanted a good workout for him just to keep him kicking over."
Wise Dan won the Maker's 46 Mile by three-quarters of a length over longshot Kaigun for his Keeneland-record sixth graded-stakes score, ninth grade I win overall and 16th graded stakes victory. The chestnut gelding has 20 wins in 28 starts and earnings of $6,473,610.
LoPresti said Wise Dan came out of the Maker's 46 Mile "very good. We're real happy with him. I think we're right where we were last year with him."
Like last year, the plan is for Wise Dan to make his next start in the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs on May 3. He won the race last year.
In preparation for that race, LoPresti expects Wise Dan to turn in another move at Keeneland the week of April 27.
"Last year I just went a quarter of a mile, out in three-eighths, something like that," he said. "I'll probably do something with him like I did last year."